The Automated Packet Reporting System…

• Was developed by Bob Bruniga, WB4APR beginning in 1984
• Is a packet format for the exchange telemetry, messages, and position over amateur radio
• Uses primarily AFSK (“packet radio”) on 2m (144.390 MHz in the US)
• Is widely used for tactical work in public service

What can you do?

• Share position information with other stations
• Obtain local weather conditions
• Short text messaging between stations or to SMS or email
• Satellite operations through the ISS or cubesats

APRS on Android

Santa Cruz County

APRS Messaging

Messaging

Some portable stations then & now

Stations Then and Now

In the field

ARES Deployment

Satellite

Satellite Operations

A word about the internet…

aprs.fi

Getting on the air

What you need

• Software for Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android
• A PC, tablet, or cell phone (portable is fun!)
• A 2m radio
• TNC or soft modem cable for your radio
• (Optional) GPS receiver

Terminology

• Callsign - Your callsign
• SSID - A unique integer from 1-15 to identify your station
• Icon - An icon identifying your station on the map
• Digipeater - A station that repeats (digipeats) packets
• IGate - A station configured to route packets to (and possibly from) the Internet

Frequencies & APRSIS hostnames

• 144.390 MHz - National Simplex APRS Frequency
• 145.825 MHz - Satellite uplink / downlink

Software

Mobile Software

• PocketPacket - iOS & Mac OS
• aprs.fi (iOS, not the web site)
• APRSdroid - Android

Desktop Software

• APRSIS32 - Windows, very full featured
• PinPoint APRS - Windows, good UI, best for monitoring
• YAAC - Java, all platforms, a bit fiddly

Some radios have APRS!

• Kenwood TH-D7A, TH-D72A (GPS), TH-D74A (GPS, D-STAR, & Bluetooth)
• Kenwood TH-D700, TH-D710
• Yaesu VX-8DR, FT1DR, FT2DR, FT3DR
• PicoAPRS mini-APRS Transceiver
• MicroTrak tracker from Byonics

Getting on the air with a cell phone

1. Download PocketPacket or APRSdroid (costs $5.00 or so)
2. Walk through the the configuration
3. Get your passcode from me or the author of the app you’re using
4. You’re on the air over TCP/IP!

Getting on the air: 2 meters & a cell phone

• Easiest way is a BaoFeng radio & a K2 cable
• Can also use a Mobilinkd TNC and Bluetooth with a radio
• Can use a TH-D72 or TH-D74 with a cable or Bluetooth

Getting on the air: 2 meters

BaoFeng, K2 cable and Android Phone

Getting on the air: a caveat

• You need a separate radio in most cases
• Costs about $60 for the BaoFeng, $20 for the cable
• The Kenwood and Yaesu radios with built-in APRS can do voice and APRS at the same time.

Let’s do it!

1. Go to tinyurl.com/get-aprs
2. Install PocketPacket or APRSdroid.
3. Configure it.
4. I’ll give you your passcode when you’re ready.

APRS software links

• tinyurl.com/get-aprs
• APRSdroid, APRSdroid on the Play Store
• APRS.fi on iOS
• APRS.fi on the Web
• APRSIS32
• PocketPacket iOS, Pocket Packet on the App Store
• PocketPacket Mac OS, Pocket Packet on the Mac App Store
• PinPoint APRS
• YAAC
• Xastir

Parts list for BaoFeng

• BTECH APRS-K1 Cable
• BaoFeng BF-F8HP
• APRSdroid, APRSdroid on the Play Store
• APRS.fi on iOS

Protocol & implementation links

• APRS Protocol Specification
• APRS Internet Service
• Python APRS Module (one of many!)
• pyaprs-stationservice Python Web service to monitor APRS-IS feed and provide REST interface to report station positions.